Autumn is the season of wonders in Norway. The landscape turns red and yellow, it’s when the Northern lights return, the forests abound with berries, mushrooms and game – and it’s the perfect time to snuggle up under a warm blanket when it’s raining.
Let’s make a journey together in the diverse landscapes in Norway from cruising the fjords to hiking in beautiful mountain trails, from seaside hiking to foraging mushrooms in the forests or berries by the lakes.
Mountain hikes
One very popular autumn activity is to go for a hike in the mountains and marvel at the sight of the heather, which changes into a vivid red, yellow and orange. Public transport takes you to great destinations for both biking and hiking. In some places, you can even catch a ride with a gondola to the top.
Historical lighthouses
Vippefyret
Tjøme municipality is located on islands between the Tønsbergfjorden and the Ytre Oslofjord. The southern tip is called Verdens ende (‘the end of the world’) and is probably best known for ‘Vippefyret’ – the lighthouse, made by stones from the local beaches. The lighthouse is a replica built in 1932.
Færder National Park Verdens Ende is located in Færder National Park, which is one of the country’s most important areas for coastal outdoor activities. The national park covers 340 square kilometers of mainland, islands, reefs and seabed in Færder municipality. It stretches from Ormøy in the north to Færder lighthouse in the south.
Ryvingen lighthouse
Ryvingen lighthouse is located on an island 7 km southeast of Mandal. In addition to being the visible landmark for ship traffic that passes the southern tip of Norway, Ryvingen lighthouse together with Hatholmen lighthouse and lantern “Bestemor” on Sjøsanden, is the entry lighthouse to the ports of Mandal. The first lighthouse was lit on October 20, 1867. In 1897, today’s cast-iron lighthouse was completed. The lighthouse lens was the second strongest in the world, at that time, and it is the same lens that is in use today. At most, there were around 30 people living at the station, and it was a school for children who grew up here. In 1957, Ryvingen lighthouse became a shift station and the families of the lighthouse keepers lived on mainland. Until the lighthouse was automated in 2002, the lighthouse keepers lived on land and commuted to the work on the island.
The Flåm Railway
The Flåm Railway is one of Norway’a most famous train lines, described simply as ‘pandemonium’. In autumn, often only a handful of people are traveling, so you can almost have the iconic spot all to yourself for some time.
Lonely Planet is not alone in naming the Bergen Railway Line as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. However, Norway has several other breathtaking stretches to travel by train, such as the Rauma Line and the Nordland Line. As autumn marches on, you are bound to drift along past a wide variety of seasonal beauty.
Storm watching
On the edge of the rocky terrains on Frøya, west of Kalvåg, you can visit the stormwatching cabin Dosabu. It has panoramic views to the great sea and the placement is carefully planned in the terrain. The cabin is open to everyone and Bremanger is a paradise to sea eagles. You can bring your own food and drink and enjoy a violent storm or a beautiful sunset while sitting warm and cozy inside.
Fjord tours
Lysefjord
The Lysefjord offers some of the world’s most iconic hikes. The classics Pulpit Rock, Kjerag and Flørli are most known, but the 42 km long Lysefjord is also home to a wide range of other more off the beaten track hikes, all with great vistas.
Pulpit Rock juts out over Lysefjord and provided the backdrop for the climatic fight scene in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. During the summer, 6,000-7,000 people a day hike the 2.5 miles each way to the lookout.
In autumn, visitor numbers are low, and in the western part of the fjord, hiking is possible most time of the year. Gorgeous coastal routes is offered by Fjord Line.
An island full of history
The island of Årøyholmen is an about 15 minutes boat ride from Koppangen Brygge on the western side of the Lyngenfjord in the heart of the Lyngen Alps.The island has probably been inhabited since the iron age, and yopu’ll find war memories and bear graves here.
Koppangen brygge has appartments for rent with private bath rooms and outdoor hot tubs.
There is no kitchen, so all the meals have to be pre-booked in the restaurant on the second floor in the main building. The restaurant serves locally produced food from Lyngen, as far as possible.
Romance by the fjord
Breathe in. breathe out. Feel the bustle of summer shift to the tranquillity of autumn. Want to stay at a magnificent, historical timber hotel? Getting a room is a lot easier as we drift into this time of year. Hike along the fjords and observe how the majestic landscape changes colour and pulse, while feeling the pull and push of the forces of nature. Inclement weather also has the power to bring people together to stay warm.
Cheesemaking in Lofoten
Lofoten Gårdsysteri, a farm and cheese factory in a fabulous location between fjord and mountains at Saupstad on the north of Vestvågøy, on the road to Unstad is the perfect place to experience the artisanal cheese-making process. The farm has goats, pigs and chicken and offers mini courses and workshops and cheese tasting.
If you are going on a mountain trip or beach visit, they are happy to make a fresh lunch for you!
Northern lights and whale safaris
Winter is not the only time of year you can see the northern lights. The intensity of this staggering natural light show is enough to leave anyone speechless. Up north, autumn is also ideal for whale spotting; species include humpback whales and orcas. If you are travelling with Hurtigruten, you get northern lights tours and whale safaris included. Vesterålen, Senja, Alta and Tromsø are all superb destinations in which to experience whales and northern lights.
Sightings of the aurora borealis can happen in Norway from late August through March. Above the Arctic Circle, the days constrict quickly in autumn, going from seven hours of sunlight early in November to just two and a half by the end. What those numbers obscure is the quality of that light – with the sun always low on the horizon and high clouds often adding texture, it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo – and the additional periods of dawn and dusk when you can still be exploring outdoors.
Authentic fishing village
Nusfjord was once part of Norway’s leading fish buying stations and has an intertwining building area, which evolved at the end of the 19th-Century and the beginning of the 20th-Century. Today, Nusfjord Arctic Resort offers traditional rorbu cabins for lodging in authentic surroundings. To get there you leave the main Federal Highway 10, halfway between Napp and Ramberg. Then, for the next 6 kilometres the county road winds through a beautiful and dramatic landscape.
Cultural autumn
Autumn is the perfect season for new arts and culture experiences. Make the most of it by visiting the best art museums and galleries in Norway. Head to the MUNCH museum, or the National Gallery, the biggest art museum in the Nordic countries, and experience the fabulous sculpture parks dressed in autumn colors. There are also excellent museums for arts, history, and natural history in Bergen, Stavanger, Tromsø and many other places (not to mention film festivals and live music).
Oslo’s many museums are ideal sanctuaries on short, chilly days. Explore the city by hopscotching from one toasty museum to the next. You can experience multiple iterations of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, the study in which Henrik Ibsen wrote his last play, and secret messages circulated by the Norwegian resistance during World War II. Don’t miss the Kon Tiki Museum which displays the original bamboo-and-balsa vessel Kon-Tiki raft which Thor Heyerdahl built in 1947 and then successfully sailed it from South America to Polynesia.
Big cities with small town charm
Even though Oslo is often listed among the top cities in the world to visit, there are several other smaller cities that are also worth your time. Despite their smaller size, cities such as Bergen and Ålesund are sure to provide you with grand – and unique – adventures.
Relaxing
Nothing can compare to the joy of snuggling up under a warm blanket in a cozy cabin after some days of exciting activities. As the evenings grow darker, autumn is the perfect time for candlelight and the relaxing sound of a crackling fireplace, perhaps while enjoying a good book or spending time with someone special.
Do you usually cram in too much when you travel? If your answer Is yes, you’ll probably appreciate the dark morning and afternoon hours of Norway’s off-season. It will force you to slow down both body and brain. It may help you to understand the Norwegian way of life. It may make room in the day for your family to play board games, stoke a fire in your cabin’s fireplace, or relax together in a hot tub.
It’s true that the tourist season slows down as summer draws to a close. But for the clever tourist, the off-season is a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with Norway’s famous destinations without the crowds.
Season of Wonders in Norway, compiled by Tor Kjolberg
Feature image (on top) © Reiner Schaufler/Nordnorsk reiseliv